Containers have heretofore been produced that are capable of containing pressurized fluids without adversely affecting the container. Such containers generally having historically been manufactured from materials capable of withstanding the internal pressures of the container without bulging of side walls, rupture or the like, such as various metals and glass. Containers for carbonated beverages, for example, have generally been produced from glass, the structural and physical characteristics of which were adequate to contain the carbonated beverages without distortion or rupture of walls of the container. Recently, containers have been blow molded from thermoplastic polymeric materials which likewise are capable of containing carbonated beverages or other pressurized fluids without distortion or rupture of the container walls. These more recent containers have been blow molded from polyester resins or the like with a domed pressure structure at a lower end of same, opposite an end having a conventional capped neck through which the containers are filled and the contents dispensed. In view of the hemispherical domed structure it has been necessary to further modify the container for stacking, etc. One type of molded container for pressurized fluids has a cylindrical flat bottomed base adhesively secured around the hemispherical pressure dome to provide improved impact resistance as well as a flat bottom for display and utilization of the container in a vertically oriented position. A further molded container of the type mentioned above has a plurality of supporting feet molded around the bottom pressure dome section, which feet likewise enable the domed container to be disposed in a vertically oriented position.
The present invention represents yet another approach to dispensing containers in general, with particular ability of the container to hold carbonated beverages and other pressurized fluids. Additionally the container may include a molded pouring spout and the spout may be capable of being nested within the container prior to dispensing. Such spouts may be utilized for pouring from the container, or for individual consumption of the fluid from the container. Containers of the present invention furthermore are capable of being maintained in a sterilized condition insofar as the dispensing spout is concerned, a feature which is not generally available for presently existing containers as described above. The present invention further relates to a method and apparatus for producing containers of the present invention to render same capable of withstanding internal pressures of pressurized fluids, while further permitting more efficient filling procedures to be utilized with the container.
While applicant has a number of patents directed to containers having nestable dispensing spouts and to a method for producing same, the subject matter of the present invention is not believed to be anticipated or suggested thereby. Such patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,298,577; 3,690,522; 3,856,187; D240,314; 4,027,811; 4,082,827; 4,066,190; 4,095,728; and 4,149,129, the subject matter of which is incorporated by reference herein as to particular types of spout arrangements for containers that are the subject matter of the present invention. No further prior art is known by applicant which is believed to anticipate or suggest the subject matter of the present invention.